COLLEGE STATION, Texas – John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, today announced that the Texas Transportation Commission has approved part of the Unified Transportation Plan for 2014 that will enable work to begin on Highway 249 extensions from Houston to Navasota. The highway will reduce the travel time from College Station to Houston Intercontinental Airport to just over one hour. Once complete, the freeway will provide the nation’s highest concentration of Texas A&M Former Students housed in Houston a quick route to their alma mater in College Station, prompting the project to be known as the Aggie Highway.

“I applaud the hard work of our governor, TxDOT, the Texas Transportation Commission and our legislative and community constituents who have worked for years to make this a reality. Transportation is no less important today than it ever has been in this state and this unique solution to better managing traffic is a great example of the “can do” spirit of this state,” said Sharp.

The Aggie Highway is a freeway that would connect the suburbs of Houston to Highway 6 in Navasota. It would specifically extend State Highway 249 in Harris County and connect it to Highway 6 in Grimes County. The TTC authorized $293 million for project development and construction, bringing the total commitment from the state to over $300 million.

TxDOT began conducting working group meetings on this project in March 2013 and will continue public outreach activities through the fall.

About the A&M System

The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $3.8 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies, two service units and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System educates more than 125,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. Externally funded research expenditures exceed $780 million and help drive the state’s economy.